WASHINGTON WATCH

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, January 9, 1997

AH: Albright a shoo-in?

Secretary of State-designate Madeleine Albright got a clear signal as confirmation hearings began that she'll sail through the process to become the highest ranking woman in U.S. government history, but Republicans signaled rough shoals ahead.

Despite policy differences, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday praised the feisty nominee. The committee chairman, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., all but said she'll get a unanimous vote of approval in his committee.

"We believe in the rule of law," she said. "We believe in contracts." Americans helped create the United Nations, she said, and it "reflects goals and interests we share."

Trade rep waiver

President Clinton asked Congress to exempt Charlene Barshefsky from provisions of a 1995 law that clamps tight restrictions on who can serve as America's top trade negotiator.

In his request Wednesday, Clinton said Barshefsky had done an "outstanding job" as acting U.S. trade representative. He asked lawmakers to END OF COLUMN 8 waive new requirements passed after she joined the administration that bar anyone who has ever represented a foreign government from serving as U.S. trade representative or deputy trade representative.

For 18 years, Barshefsky had been a top trade lawyer with the Washington firm of Steptoe & Johnson, which included among its clients the government of Canada.

Inaugural tickets

Tickets to President Clinton's inaugural parade and 14 inauguration balls went on sale to the general public Wednesday via a toll-free telephone line operated by TicketMaster.

Tickets for the 21st Century Ball cost $50 apiece. The price of tickets to 13 regional inaugural balls will cost $150 apiece. Seats along the inaugural parade route between the Capitol and the White House range from $10 to $100.

The phone number for ticket purchases is 1-888-888-1997.

State of the Union

Two weeks after his Jan. 20 inauguration for a second term, President Clinton will deliver his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress at 6 p.m. PST on Feb. 4. He will send his budget for fiscal 1998 to Congress two days later.

By law, the president must submit his proposed budget by the first Monday in February, which this year is Feb. 3. But the White House asked congressional leaders for a delay so Clinton could use his State of the Union address to lay out the broad themes for the policies he wants to pursue in his second term.&lt;